Rustic Pine or Reclaimed Wood Egg Holder

We have been making this rustic pine egg holder at some of our DIY Divas Beginner Workshops and I thought that it was time to share! It’s a nice and easy project to make for your own kitchen, or to give to someone as a gift. If you prefer a more modern style, leave out the ageing and paint with Rust-Oleum 2X spray paint.

The egg holder is made from a piece of pine, but you can also use reclaimed timber or any offcuts that you have lying around.

• Piece of wood 100 x 250mm + a scrap piece of board
• 2 handles in your preferred style + screws
• Pattex repair gel
• Woodoc gel stain – antique oak
• Tools for distressing (wood chisel, file, hammer, etc)
• 60- and 120-grit sandpaper
• Steel wool

TOOLS:

• Drill/Driver
• 25mm spade bit
• Quick clamp
• Tape measure and pencil
• Lint-free rags

I marked off the length of the board in 35mm sections with a 20mm border along the long edges. The back row allows for 4 eggs and the front row for 3 eggs. You can increase the length to store more eggs. Draw a line down the centre of the board and then measure 15mm on either side on alternative rows to make the positions for drilling holes with a 25mm spade bit.

Place a scrap board underneath the board you will be drilling. This reduces the amount of chipping off on the underside and also makes it easier to work. Place the tip of the spade bit on your marks and drill out the holes. Clamp the board to your worktop as you drill to prevent it from spinning.

I used a wood chisel and rasp to roughen up the edges of my piece of pine. If you are using reclaimed timber, or prefer a more modern look, you can leave this step out.

After roughing up use 60-grit sandpaper against the grain to raise the wood fibers for a more rustic look. Again, you can leave this out if you are already using reclaimed wood. Give a light sanding with 120-grit sandpaper to remove any splinters.

Use a rag to apply one even coat of Woodoc gel stain to the top, sides and base of the pine. You will also need to wrap the rag around your finger to apply stain to the cut out holes.

Use steel wool to distress if you want the pine to look aged and even more rustic. Lightly rub the steel wool over the surface, working with the grain.

Use Pattex repair gel to stick your handles onto the base of the egg holder. Your local Builders Warehouse has a selection of handles that you can choose from – in different styles and finishes.